This invention relates generally to a vegetation guard, and more specifically pertains to the application of integrally formed barrier for use in conjunction underneath various types of fencing in order to prevent the growth of vegetation in proximity therewith, and to facilitate the cutting of grass or other weeds that may grow laterally of the applied barrier.
Various types of weed barriers have been developed in the prior art. Generally, they focus upon the application of some type of base that is supplied under fencing and is designed to prevent and retard the growth of grass or other weeds at that location, and to ease the movement of a lawn mower or other cutter into a close proximity with the fence, in order that all of the brush may be readily cut and removed, and thereby provide a rather clean-cut appearance to the manicured lawn particularly at such locations. For example, the patent to Niemann, U.S. Pat. No. 3,713,624, shows such a fence guard, and which is generally satisfactory in operation for the purposes as shown and described therein, but the one difference between this particular piece of prior art, and which makes it a little difficult of application, is the fact that it does come in two parts, and requires at least two people to apply it as the two halves of the fence guard are brought into proximity and clasped together, by way of the device's formed locking means, as shown.
Various other patents have issued upon related types of fence bordering means, such as shown in the U.S. Pat. No. 3,768,780, wherein the border means as shown incorporates an upwardly disposed slot, and which is disposed for insertion of the bottom of the fence therein, having flared lower flat pannels extending therefrom. This particular border is also effective for its intended usage, but is applied quite differently from the vegetation barrier of this current invention, and in addition, it is structurally different and requires a different form of application.
The U.S. Pat. No. 3,806,096, shows a fence trim and vegetation barrier, which, once again, is constructed of its own particular configuration, and which functions in the nature of a series of aligned shells in which extension cores must be inserted in order to apply the disclosed barrier. One problem with this particular design is that it is generally fixed with respect to its length, and does require a differently shaped type of core means in order to connect the various shells together. The U.S. Pat. No. 4,321,769, shows an edging strip, of the type that may be buried partially in the ground in order to expose its upward convex surface for use for edging walks, borders, or the like. The U.S. Pat. to Snider, No. 4,349,989, discloses another form of fence guard, having its own peculiar structure. And, the U.S. Pat. to Jensen, No. 3,545,127, discloses another type of lawn edging arrangement, once again, having its own particular configuration and structure. U.S. Pat. No. 3,515,373, shows a fence trim guard, not too unlike that which was previously described with respect to the U.S. Pat. No. 3,806,096. Finally, U.S. Pat. No. 4,219,941, discloses a moisture barrier for fruit drying trays or the like. Most of these prior devices are structured quite differently from the fabrication of the current vegetation barrier, of this invention, and those which are designed for use particularly as a fence guard, such as the Niemann patent device, are also structured differently and require different application even though the similar type of end results may be obtained.
It is, therefore, the principal object of this invention to provide an integrally structured vegetation barrier primarily for use under fencing, and which can be applied by a single worker, in order to achieve highly satisfactory results in retarding the growth of grass, weeds, or the like at the base of a fence.
Another object of this invention is to provide a vegetation barrier, having laterally disposed portions, and which upon one wheel of a lawn mower may ride so that a clean cut can be obtained for grass up to the fence line.
Still another object of this invention is to provide a grass barrier that conveniently allows the drainage of rain or other water therepast all at the same time preventing the growth of any grass or other vegetation in proximity therewith.
Still another object of this invention is to provide a vegetation barrier that may be applied and tied in place at the lower end or edge of a fence.
Yet another and important object of this invention is to provide an integrally formed fence vegetation barrier and which can be manufactured for shipment and placed into the roll form, to facilitate its transit and storage, and even display for merchandising, but yet when unrolled for application provides a ready and convenient barrier that may be tied in place at the lower end of the fencing.
Yet another object of this invention is to provide a vegetation barrier that can be conveniently tied and affixed in place to the bottom edge of a fence, such as the chain link fence, chicken wire fence, hog wire fence, or the like, and which can even be nailed or tied in place to existing wood fences.
These and other objects will become more apparent to those skilled in the art upon reviewing the summary of this invention, and upon undertaking a study of the description of the preferred embodiment.